Upstate health costs to climb nearly 10 percent next year

That’s what human resource consultant Mercer found in its survey of upstate New York employers. Costs this year for active employees climbed 7.9 percent to an average of $8,308 per employee, and are expected to climb 9.8 percent in 2010.

But that’s only if employers stick with their current health coverage plans. Many are making changes, however, and that should cut the increase to 6.9 percent.

But employees will be carrying more of the burden, facing higher deductibles, copays/coinsurance or out-of-pocket maximums, Mercer found.

And 35 percent of the employers surveyed said they planned to increase the share of the premium that employees pay.